Russellville golf second in ConwayCONWAY — The Russellville Cyclones and Lady Cyclones competed in a golf match against Conway and Bryant on Wednesday. The Cyclones placed second with a team score of 170, behind Conway’s 157 and above Bryant’s 178. Individual scores for the Russellville boys were Tripp Croom with 40, Seth Grace (42), David Sisson (43), Whit Nicholson (45), Jacob Boles (46) and Marty DuVall with 50. Croom’s performance put him tied for third against Bryant’s Lu...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Locals find success on Super Clubs teamRussellville natives Peyton Duffield and Taylor Allen recently returned home from an 11-day tour of England, Wales and Ireland while playing for the Super Clubs National soccer team. The duo managed to make some history, as they became the first American Super Clubs National team to go undefeated in England and Wales and finished with a strong 4-2 record. The majority of the team had never met before assembling at the Atlanta, Ga., airport for...

Price pleased with scrimmage resultsDARDANELLE — Sand Lizards head coach Josh Price stayed late watching film after Tuesday’s Red and White scrimmage at Keenan Field. In the end, he said he was satisfied with the way his team showcased themselves for the annual event, which helps raise money for the Dardanelle Football Booster Club. “Overall I was pleased,” he said. “But there are still a few things we are going to have to address.” Price played the red team (mostly starters) ag...

Provence comes back to coach at OzarksCLARKSVILLE — After a record-setting career at the University of the Ozarks as a runner, Jeremy Provence returns to serve as the assistant men’s and women’s cross country coach, it was announced Monday by University of the Ozarks Athletics Director Jimmy Clark. Provence, a native of Bidville, is the only runner in men’s program history to earn Capital One Academic All-District honors and one of only two runners to be a member of the US Track &...

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Ozarks Sports InformationThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

River Valley football previewI’ve made my rounds. I’ve visited almost every school in the Arkansas River Valley and interviewed kids and coaches for our upcoming 2014 Football Preview, which comes out Sunday. This year, I had help in the form of our newsclerk and sports enthusiast, Tanner Ott, who did a fine job helping me pull everything together. We’ve had eyes on every team in Pope, Yell and Johnson counties, so here’s the word — in brief. If you want our full analysis...

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Travis Simpson and Tanner OttThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pirates surprise coachDOVER — The Dover Pirates scrimmage Tuesday at Jack Berry Field revealed many surprises for head coach Greg Smith. The third-year coach said several players emerged from the depth chart and showed him they would be viable candidates for action on Friday nights. Scrimmages are good for that, Smith said. “In practice you get a chance to rep your starters,” he said. “But in the scrimmage we got a chance to look down the roster and see the whole r...

Little Johns, Lady Pirates win golf matchesWALDRON — The Danville Little Johns traveled to Waldron Country Club for a golf match with Waldron, Arkadelphia and Mena. The Little Johns won by one stroke over the host Bulldogs with a 134. Senior Jay Trusty was medalist with a 36. Dalton Penzo shot 46, and Ben Cantrell 52. Dover’s Lady Pirates defeated Clinton and Clarksville on Tuesday at Tannenbaum. Dover shot a 163 and was led by Morgan Beck (44), Mallory Goates (54) and Hannah Noblett (...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sand Lizards to host Red and White scrimmageDARDANELLE — The Dardanelle Sand Lizards will be in action at 6 p.m. today at Keenan Field for their annual Red and White scrimmage to help raise money for the Dardanelle football program. “This is our squad scrimmage,” Dardanelle head coach Josh Price said. “Our last one of the year, but we do get to scrimmage Paris next week. We’re still ironing some things out.” Cost of admission is a donation to the Dardanelle Football Booster Club, which ...

Former Hog Joe Kleine to speak at Boys and Girls ClubFifteen-year NBA veteran and Olympic gold medalist Joe Kleine will speak at the Standing Ovations event held at the Arkansas Boys and Girls Club on Thursday in Russellville. Kleine, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, has been coaching at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock (UALR) for eight years. Kleine is a two-time All-Southwest Conference selection from the University of Arkansas and won an NBA Championship with the...

Dover golf competing well in seasonDARDANELLE — The Dover Pirates golf team compiled for a team score of 142 to defeat the Pottsville Apaches (143) and Dardanelle Sand Lizards (158) in a match held Thursday at the Lion’s Den Golf Club in Dardanelle. The Lady Pirates placed second with a team score of 157, behind the Lady Apaches score of 152. Pirates head coach Megan Kelly has been pleased with the effort she has seen from her teams this season. “In both matches my teams have b...

Hector cheerleaders earn honorsHECTOR — Wildcats cheerleaders Marlee Melton, Whittney Bell and Heather Proctor were chosen for All-American honors recently and invited to perform at The Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. They were chosen while attending summer camp provided by B2 Cheer and Dance in Hot Springs. Being recognized as an All-American is one of the most sought after individual awards at camp. Those chosen as an All-American have demonstrated superior leadership and ...

Fishing fun for the 62-plus crowdThere is a new local event that seems to this angler would be loads of fun for any man or woman who is in the 62-and-over crowd, and would like some fun friendly competition. The “Old Codgers” tournament is a bass fishing tournament for anglers who are 62-or-older, whether you have ever fished a bass tournament or not. Entry fees for each event are a modest $25 and a $5 big bass pot. Anglers may fish by themselves or can bring a partner (who a...

Bielema: Austin Allen emerges as No. 2 QBFAYETTEVILLE (AP) — Austin Allen hoped he'd have the chance to at least back up his big brother at quarterback for Arkansas this season. Razorbacks coach Bret Bielema said Saturday that the redshirt freshman has earned his shot — emerging as the team's No. 2 quarterback after two weeks of preseason practice. Allen, the younger brother of starter Brandon Allen, was 10-of-21 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown in Arkansas' second preseason scri...

Kelly: No change needed in how Notre Dame recruits SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly on Saturday dismissed talk that he needs to do a better job of recruiting players who are better students to avoid the academic problems that have plagued the football program for the past 15 months. "I think we've brought in the right young men," he said. "I think we have to continue to do a better job educating them. We have to do a better job of providing the resources." The news conferen...

Manziel says he's not ready for opener ... yet BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Johnny Manziel, so full of swagger and cool, understands his limitations. He's only a rookie. And as the celebrity quarterback prepares for Cleveland's exhibition on Monday night in Washington, a game that could decide whether he or Brian Hoyer starts the season opener at Pittsburgh on Sept. 7, Manziel acknowledged he's still got a lot to learn. "I don't think I'm ready for Pittsburgh right now," he said. Manziel, though, wa...

The numbers game: Rural schools struggle with low participationCOAL HILL — For some schools, the most difficult thing about football isn’t the arduous practices, the big hits or the wind sprints — it’s playing the numbers game. Many rural communities hover right on the line between fielding enough players to compete and having to close up shop and wait for a larger class to come along. The Johnson County Westside Rebels have 22 players on their roster — just enough to field an offense and defense, supposi...

With passing trend, is Peterson last great back? MANKATO, Minn. (AP) — Jim Brown spinning his way through the line and breaking loose in the secondary with a burst of speed. Walter Payton lowering a stiff arm and tearing away from the tackler with those long, almost-straight-leg strides. Barry Sanders slithering around in the backfield and finding a seam to dart through. Those are the enduring images of grit, perseverance and even elegance on which the NFL's multibillion-dollar empire was fi...

Russellville football to hold scrimmageThe Russellville football program will host its annual Red and Black Scrimmage on Thursday at Cyclone Stadium. The event offers fans and coaching staff alike a chance to see the Russellville football program in its entirety, as the Middle School Gales will take the field at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Junior High Whirlwinds at 6:15 and the Cyclones at 7. Entry fee is $4 per adult and $3 for students, with current Russellville football booster c...

Pirates, Lady Apaches golf win in DardanelleDARDANELLE — The Pottsville Lady Apaches golf team won match Thursday at the Lion's Den Golf Club in Dardanelle against Dover, Dardanelle, Atkins and Lamar. Julianna Harper of Dardanelle was the overall winner with a score of 39, but Pottsville totaled for 152 to win the tournament. Dover placed second with a team score of 157. Other team leaders for the Lady Apaches were Cheyenne Carillo with 46, Krissy Davis with 49 and Britney Heflin with 5...

Arkansas State eyes continued run under Anderson As Arkansas State's fifth coach in five seasons, Blake Anderson knew there would be more than just football to attend to when he was hired after last season. Anderson's mission was to restore trust and stability for a group of players accustomed to anything but. The Red Wolves head into this season having won at least a share of the last three Sun Belt Conference championships, capped by last season's GoDaddy Bowl win over Ball State. While it...